Leicester City’s new manager Russell Martin said he must work on the psychological side of the game after the Foxes were beaten 2‑1 by Burton Albion in their first home League One match of the season on Saturday. The loss was the club’s first defeat in the third tier since their return to the division 17 years ago.
The match, played at King Power Stadium, saw Burton take a 2‑0 lead before Leicester’s Wes Burns pulled one back in the first half. Oliver Skipp, a midfielder who has been involved in Leicester’s back‑to‑back relegations from the Premier League and Championship, was sent off in the 29th minute for a dangerously high tackle on Curtis Tilt. The red card left the Foxes a man down and forced them into a “nothing to lose” mentality, according to Martin.
Fans in the stands booed the team as the final whistle blew, pushing Leicester down to 18th in the table. Martin told BBC Radio Leicester that “we have to have some really honest conversations” and that he takes responsibility as a manager for not preparing the players mentally enough. He added that the team was “not hungry enough” during the opening 25 minutes.
Martin also reflected on the club’s recent form, noting that Leicester had only managed a 1‑1 draw against newly promoted Notts County a week earlier. He said the club had reviewed the goals scored in that match as a group and highlighted the areas that “we don’t want to be us.” He warned that the worst 25 minutes of the season would be a priority for improvement.
Looking ahead, Leicester’s focus will shift to a Carabao Cup tie against Ipswich Town, a side that won promotion to the Premier League alongside Leicester in 2024 before being relegated the following season. Martin said changes for the match will be inevitable, and the performances will determine who he turns to in the next League One game.
The Foxes will face MK Dons on Saturday, with Martin saying he expects “some people to come into the team and be really hungry to stake a claim for the shirt.” He added that those who played on Tuesday will need to “really want to put things right and feel better about themselves.”
The next game will be at MK Dons on Saturday.
